Kirkwood Melissa L, Knowles Martyn, Modrall J Gregory, Valentine R James
Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
Ann Vasc Surg. 2014 Jul;28(5):1312.e13-5. doi: 10.1016/j.avsg.2013.08.023. Epub 2013 Dec 11.
Inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) aneurysms are the rarest of all visceral artery aneurysms, with most resulting from atherosclerotic disease. Mycotic IMA aneurysms are exceptionally uncommon and only 2 cases have been reported in the literature. Coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CNS) is often considered a contaminant; however, increasing reports of certain strains causing endocarditis are becoming more prevalent. We report a case of a mycotic IMA aneurysm, in the setting of native valve endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus simulans, a strain of CNS. To our knowledge, this is the third report of a mycotic IMA aneurysm, and the first account of this usually benign pathogen leading to aneurysmal degeneration in this location.